Regional differences in sources from which Footwear is obtained

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Regional differences in sources from which footwear is obtained

Department store or large of local shop

Proportions of women who buy their footwear from department stores or large local shops are significantly higher in London and Glasgow than the average and than in any of the other there areas. In the area covering the South, South-West and East Anglia proportions getting shoes from this type of shop are significantly lower than the average.

Small local shop

Proportions buying their footwear from small local shops are significantly lower in London and the area covering the Midlands and South Wales than in the South, South-West, East Anglia or Northern England.

Employer

Proportions of women workers obtaining footwear from their employers are significantly smaller in London than in the Midland and South Wales area. Of the 63 women workers interviewed in Glasgow who gave a preference for certain types of footwear as best their work, none stated that her employers supplied the footwear.

Regional differences in attempts to buy since Christmas

Proportions of women who have tried to buy footwear since Christmas are significantly higher in London than in Northern England or the area covering the South, South-west and East Anglia.

As the numbers who had tried to buy footwear since Christmas are well below 100 in all five areas, it is not practicable to give regional percentage for the proportions who had difficulty in buying, or to analyse the actual difficulties stated.

Of the total 219 workers who had tried to buy footwear, 33% experienced difficulty. There are no difficulties which occurred with significantly greater frequency than others.

Sources from which Footwear is obtained analysed by type of Footwear

Type of Footwear	Dept. store or large local shop		Small local Shop		Employer		Second hand		Not answered		SAMPLE
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
Ordinary heavy shoes	169	58	45	16	4	1	3	1	69	24	290
Clogs	62	33 ± 6.8	39	21 ± 5.2	64	34	3	1	21	11	189
Rubber boots	2	3	1	1	69	86	1	1	7	9	80

From this table it can be seen that the majority of ordinary heavy shoes are bought at department stores or large local shops. There is no significant difference between the frequences with which clogs are bought at department stores, large or small local shops or obtained from employers. The vast majority of rubber boots worn by workers are supplied to them by their employers.

(Note: Many investigators reported that workers had explained that the difficulty in getting rubber boots which were urgently and essentially required for some types of work - particularly with acids - was often due to the lack of permits rather than to shortage in the shops, where workers had seen rubber boots of the type they required.)

( N.B . In all cases where probable errors due to sampling are given the formula used is:-

± 2/ pg

Comparison of (1) preferred and type worn and (2) Type preferred and suggested alternative , in three hazard groups.

TYPES PREFERRED

TYPES WORN	Heavy Boots	Safety Boots	Safety Shoes	Ord.Heavy Shoes		Clogs		Rubber Boots		Not specified	Total of types worn
	No.	No.	No.	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	No.	%
Heavy boots	7	1	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	9	1
Safety boots	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Safety shoes	-	-	5	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	7	1
Ordinary heavy shoes	2	1	4	239	83	51	28	3	4	-	300	46
Clogs	1	-	-	2	1	116	63	9	11	-	128	19
Rubber boots	1	-	-	3	1	2	1	71	89	-	77	12
No information	1	-	4	44	15	13	7	-	-	78	140	20
TOTAL of preference given	12	4	13	288		185		80		78	582
ALTERNATIVE TYPES
Heavy boots	(3)	1	-	5	2	6	3	-	-	-	15	2
Safety boots	3	(3)	-	-	-	3	2	-	-	-	9	1
Safety shoes	-	-	(4)	9	3	12	7	-	-	-	25	4
Ordinary heavy shoes	4	-	4	(195)	(68)	52	28	2	3	-	257	39
Clogs	1	-	1	9	3	(51	(28)	11	14	-	73	11
Rubber boots	-	-	4	14	5	25	14	(51)	(64)	2	96	15
No alternative given	1	-	-	56	19	36	19	16	20	76	185	28
TOTAL of preferences given	12	4	13	288		185		80		78	660

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